Hollow
by Parker K. Harvelle
Summary: AU: A chance encounter with Ariana O'Callaghan's childer sends said girl hurtling into the past without much chance to get home. Being the daughter of Angel and Buffy doesn't help matters as Ari get accustomed to life forty years out of her time-zone.
1. Chapter 1

**Hollow.**

**Los Angeles, California;**

**April 2046:**

"Okay I get it, your evil, get new lines already," a brunette girl, around seventeen, maybe her early twenties said as she held a stake in her left hand, poised to strike. In front of her was a rather outdated looking man, mid twenties with blonde spiky hair and a distorted face which was bumpy and gold eyes and fangs shinned in the moonlight.

"Die slayer!" the vampire snarled and the girl rolled green eyes which seemed almost black in the right light and with her ever changing emotions. at other times they shinned a bright green.

"Not a Slayer," she said with a shrug before lunging forward with a stomach kick and using speed she'd inherited through her father and mother to spin and slam the stake into the unsuspecting vampires heart. with a look of surprise he burst into dust and she sighed. Running a tanned olive toned hand through her long curly dark hair, a shade lighter then black but rather dark for brown. She wore dark skinny jeans, a pair of high boots, a black top and black jean jacket over that to keep her from the nights chilly air. though truth be told she didn't feel the cold the same way a human did. Sometimes she still got cold, and tonight was a particularly chilly night, for late April.

"Cousin." A happy voice broke through her thoughts. The dark girl turned quickly, her stake raised at first but upon seeing the blonde hair and blue eyes she lowered her stake.

"Daria, what are you doing out here?" she asked. Daria was her Aunt Dawn's youngest daughter, still a baby compared to the rest of the family at Nineteen years old. Ariana was the oldest in the family besides her brother Connor who was oddly enough her uncle as well, and Daria's father. Though you'd never guess Ari was the oldest since she looked rather young. Truth be told she was thirty-eight years old but had stopped aging between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. No one was totally sure when but they knew it was in this time period.

Ariana Joyce O'Callaghan was born on April 5th, 2008 to Buffy Anne O'Callaghan nee Summers and Angelus 'Angel' Liam O'Callaghan. Her mother was a Vampire Slayer, the oldest to live in the history of Slayers, making it till she was forty-seven before she was killed by a particularly nasty demon. Her father was a vampire with a soul, he had shansued when Ari was thirteen years old - thankfully her mother had aged gracefully or she'd never have forgiven her father for looking like he was still in his twenties while she was forty some years old. In that time she'd gained three siblings, sadly her mother died while they were still young.

Her siblings; Kathleen, Colleen and Liam were all twenty-four, twenty-two, and twenty-one respectively. Colleen was an actual Slayer, while the other two had heightened senses, and were slightly stronger then the average human being the son and daughter of a Slayer. They were trained to defend themselves but only Colleen actually patrolled regularly. Because Ari had been born when their father had been an vampire she was different, similar to her brother, Connor, but still very different from even him.

She didn't know if the Powers had done it on purpose but she had been born with her own demon, much like her father. That was the main reason she preferred to be called Ari, Ariana was her demon or what it had claimed as its own name from birth. They had not even realized she had a demon, despite her aversion to sunlight, crosses and holy water; Her need for blood ever month, at least once or twice and her slower heartbeat and slightly cooler temperature then a human should have. The signs had been ignored, and questions never asked that should have been asked. They had simply thought she'd taken more after her father and while they were right they had not realized to what extent until Wolfram and Hart sent a shaman after them and released her soul from her body. At first they'd thought she was simply dead until they realized she was very much awake, and alive. The fact she could move without her soul meant only one thing, a demon was animating her body and the only way that could be was if she had been turned into a vampire or if she'd been born with it.

She would never forget the look of hurt and pain on her father and mother's faces for the rest of her life. Her worst regret was she had never gotten to tell her mother she was sorry, that she loved her one last time. Telling it to a grave eleven years latter wasn't nearly the same. As it was, it had taken almost eleven years for her family to hunt down an orb of thessulah and return her soul, by then she'd reeked havoc over the world and ruined a lot of lives. Unfortunately her curse was the same as her father's had been so the happiness clause was still in effect for her. Rowan, Willow and Kennedy's oldest daughter had tried to rewrite the curse to exclude it but it wouldn't work. Ari figured this was the Powers punishment for her past deeds. Even she knew she was a bitch while evil, her childer knew it as well.

"What, I can't come find my favorite cousin/aunt?" Daria asked sweetly. Ari raised an eyebrow, it wasn't unlike Daria to make things complicated. Daria like she'd mentioned was the youngest of her Aunt Dawn's children. Older then her were Melissa, Logan, Alyssa and Devin.

"Not when you wonder around without a weapon," Ari replied shortly before stuffing hers into her waist band and holding out a hand towards Daria. Daria happily took the offered hand and the two walked along, even though it might seem odd to see two pretty girls holding hands in a cemetery, the darker of the two seemingly pulling the other along almost like a scolded child. It really wasn't so odd, Daria had always favored Ari, almost to the point of hero worship when she was younger. Thankfully she'd grown out of that, she was simply the outgoing, carefree one of her family.

"Slow down Ari!" Daria yelped. Ari stopped short, turning as the sound of a twig snapping reached her ears again, and Daria turned in the direction as well. Though Dawn and Connor's children were not as strong or sensitive as a Slayer's child or vampire's they were a bit stronger, and faster then a normal human. They couldn't do the sort of things Connor or Ari could do, or a Slayer for that matter, but they weren't as defenseless as a human either. Daria just so happened to have the best hearing of her siblings.

"What was that?" Ari put a finger to her lips as she let go of Daria's hand. Something wasn't right. Something was wrong, she could feel it in her gut. turning slowly, her eyes dilating a bit as she strained to see deeper into the darkness she tried to figure out what had made the snapping sound.

"It's been a while lover." Ari heard Daria gasp and she spun around, coming face to face with a man she had longed to see for years but knew contact would only end in blood and heartbreak. Aiden was her childe, but before that he'd been her friend, she'd grown up with him, loved him for years. Ariana, her demon, hated him for that but saw potential in him and wanted a family of sorts. She had no intention to roam alone for eternity but the problem remained her demon had not been sure she'd have the power to turn humans to vampires since she was not completely vampiric in nature.

Aiden had been her guinea pig of sorts, and thankfully, at least sort of, it had worked. Aiden was the first vampire to be sired by a hybrid vampire. He was gorgeous, almost inhumanly with his light blue eyes which almost seemed whitish/silver at times and deep black hair which was slightly messy. He was of course tall, 6'0 but wasn't built big, but wasn't scrawny either. He had a body a swimmer would be jealous of, but he wasn't a swimmer, he was a fighter. Martial Arts had been an interest of Aiden McKenna before he was turned, it was where she had met him. Behind his smirking visage was a shaman, and she'd seen enough shamans to know what one looked like. Thankfully he didn't seem to have anything to indicate her soul was in danger but the fact Aiden was here after nearly ten years of silence worried her.

"Aiden," she said, her voice neutral in tone. Her eyes told a story of pain though and she knew Aiden saw it since his smirk grew more devilish. He had learned his skills from the best after all, and Ariana did consider herself the best in ways.

"Have you met my friend here?" Aiden grinned at his sire. "I don't know his name personally, he's just the help, but uh you might want to hold on tight sire," he said laughing and Ari turned to Daria who had frozen with wide blue eyes. She dug out her stake, and prayed Daria could run fast enough to safety as she forced the stake into her cousin/nieces hands.

"Daria, take this and run. Run until you get home and let everyone else know what's going on," she told Daria as quickly as she could before turning back to Aiden and the Shaman who was chanting behind her childe. She let out a small sigh as she heard Daria get farther away with each moment that passed.

"Where's Elijah and Ella?" she asked as she walked closer, surveying Aiden like prey. He shrugged. "Micah?"

"Around," he answered. Elijah and Ella were twins they'd come across in Moscow, Russia only two years into their travels. Elijah had struck her fancy and Ella became Aiden's knew obsession. The twins had joined their family of sorts the same year, many months latter. Ella was a bit of a lone sheep though, after Aiden rejected her she'd gone away on her own and came home a year latter with her own childe and lover, Micah. Ariana hadn't been amused at the new addition without her consent but the childe had grown on her and Ella was one of her boys' favorites so she let it go.

"What's this all about?" she finally asked, tired of this game they had begun. She turned an eye to the Shaman to find him chanting faster, harder and glowing.

"Just some friendly shenanigans, maybe a favor," he said shrugging as if it was nothing.

"Favor to whom?" Aiden smirked, his eyes bright.

"Ah ah ah now sire that's not fair, you've already asked enough questions." With that Aiden struck with his fist but she was able to avoid it by bending backwards. As she straightened up she avoided a leg sweep but jumping and leaned to the side to avoid another jab from Aiden. She no longer had a stake, and she didn't know if she'd be able to kill her own childer even if she had one, especially not one she had feelings for but then she'd grown to love Elijah too. It was a strange love triangle or 'something' triangle since everyone was so fond to believe soulless vampires couldn't love.

She was her mother's daughter in that way, but then her own father had never been able to kill his childe and grandchilde, even if he had killed his sire that had been personal. Buffy had meant a lot more to him then Darla had in one hundred and fifty years. Not to say that her father had not mourned the lost, more so his demon then his soul but still, Darla was still his sire. Suddenly Ari felt a shift in the air and as she twisted Aiden's arm around she noticed the shaman was looking straight at her and then Aiden pulled away after a swift punch into her stomach and then the light built up in the Shamans hands was headed right at her. She was to shocked to move and then she felt like she was falling.

**xXx**

She didn't realize she had landed wherever it was until she smelt the salt water filled air and felt the sand underneath her. She seemed to have landed close to the beach, the pier maybe? From the view she was getting she already knew where she was, LA, but hadn't she been in a LA cemetery before this? Slowly she got to her knees but did not rise to her feet as she heard a conversation between two very familiar voices.

"Some day you'll learn the truth - and you'll hate yourself. Don't. It's not your fault." Ari turned in that direction and holds back a gasp at what she sees. Connor, and some auburn haired woman and the voice from the makeshift coffin was definitely her father. She watches as the auburn haired woman looks over at Connor and then down at where she suspects Angel is. She vaguely remembers this from bedtime stories she was told. Connor had sunk him to the bottom of the ocean, this must have been the day but that meant it was...late 2001 or 2002? "I don't blame you."

She was more sure then ever that was her father, he'd said something almost word for word after she'd lost her soul over a decade ago. He'd been her rock after she'd come back from it, without him she'd probably have killed herself from the grief and guilt.

_'Goddammit Aiden.'_ She thought with anger, how dare he do this to her! She knew enough about time travel to know it was dangerous and there was never a guarantee you'd get home again. Thankfully there was no way to change the past, it simply created a new timeline, an alternate reality alongside the one you came from. Well there was a way to change the past but it was involved and very heavy Black magics. Nothing the shaman could have done, and Aiden was no idiot. If she messed up her birth or something then he'd never have been turned and it would simply be a endless paradox.

"Liar!" Connor yelled.

"Listen to me. I love you! Never forget that." Ari knew she should help him, but she didn't know what she could do. Connor was able to beat her in the future and she didn't know how he fought at this point in his life. She knew enough to know he was erratic and lost at this period in his life but she also knew she faced a tough decision. She could help him or not, but she knew she had to reveal herself and soon. The question was what to reveal? She also knew the redhead, Justine was her name, Ari thought she needed to be taken care of. She had set her brother and her father up against each other and Ari was very protective of those she loved. She was a lot like her mother and father when she had a soul but she also had a line that shouldn't be crossed and she knew instantly she planed to kill Justine when this was all over.

Silently Ari watched as Connor and Justine got up to pick up the lid of the coffin.

"Connor? Connor, never forget that I'm your father and that I love you." Tears welled in Ari's eyes. Suddenly she couldn't take it anymore and as Justine and Connor started to lower the lid in place she stands and is practically a blur as she races to the area feet in front of her.

"Wait!" she yelled and out on the water Justine and Connor turn to her, Connor with anger and Justine shocked.

"Connor? Con..." Angel's voice is cut off as the lid comes down. Connor looks down through the wire-mesh glass window at Angel's face, then he and Justine slide the two rods that lock the lid in place into their channels, and Justine welds them into place, while Connor keeps looking at Angel.

"Who are you," Connor asks as he glances back around at the mysterious girl whom he admits looks oddly familiar and is very pretty. Justine looks at Connor in question.

"Connor listen to Angel, don't do this!" she yells knowing he'd hear her. Justine bristles, wondering who this girl was and if they'd have to kill her to shut her up.

"No," he mutters and he nods at Justine and they move to one end of the coffin and push it off the back of the boat. Connor and Justine watch as the casket floats for a moment, then one end dips down and the casket sinks straight down leaving behind a small trail of bubbles.

Connor looks over at Justine, then back at the spot where the casket went down. The engine of the boat revs up. Connor stays at the stern, watching, as the boat pulls away into the night. Ari sighs as the boat approaches, angry at herself for not being able to help further.

"Who are you?" Connor asks again as he exits the boat with Justine. He can sense something not human about the girl but he also didn't get the feeling he got around most vampires and demons. It was similar to vampires though. As he got closer he noticed her eyes were not black like he'd thought but a brilliant green which seemed darker with her emotions, anger, guilt. They reminded him of his eyes, and Angel's.

"My name is Ariana O'Callaghan...I'm from over forty years into the future," she said impassively and then smirked. "I'm your sister."

Connor's expression was priceless. His blue eyes got big, almost like they wanted to pop out of his sockets and Justine stood beside him and seemed to have stopped breathing and gone into shock. She laughed almost mockingly, almost to similar to Ariana that she stopped short and shook her head.

"I prefer Ari though." Connor surveyed the girl. She did resemble him a little; Her hair was a similar color, only darker then his was and her eyes if blue would have been similar, though more almond shaped then his were. Her brow was also similar but more feminine, not as big. Otherwise she looked a lot like someone he was sure he'd seen before, in a picture maybe? It was in the color of her eyes, the tilt of her straight nose and mouth, her facial shape and petite yet curvy body. She also seemed to have height on her side, about 5'9 but half of that could have been the high boots she had on.

"I don't have a sister, it's not possible." Ari smiled slightly, barely noticeable to those who didn't know her or were not paying enough attention.

"Maybe not now Connor, but you will in a few years. My mother is Buffy Summers, you might have heard of her," she said. Justine gasped and Connor numbly nodded.

"Where's my proof?"

"Besides the fact that I know you just made a huge mistake? I don't have anything but my word, and looks. Lorne would be able to tell as well."

"I didn't make a mistake," Connor says coldly. "Angelus killed my father."

"Holtz is not your father," she answered, equally as cold. "Angel is and he didn't kill Holtz, Justine did." Connor's eyes widened.

"I don't believe you." Ari sighed.

"Fine don't, just...help me get dad back..."

"No!" Ari looked at him shocked, and then gritted her teeth.

"Look Connor you're my big brother, but right now I am far older then you so you will help..." She didn't finish though as Connor slugged her across the face sending her to the ground before glaring at her. Ari looks up at him with shock written over her face, her eyes wide.

"Don't get in my way Ariana," he spat before running off.

"It's Ari!" she yelled, before turning her attentions to Justine who was backing away, turning to run. She glared and stood quickly and used her speed to get in front of the now frightened woman.

"Where do you think you're going red?" she asked and Justine gulped, stepping back.

"Home..." Ari shook her head, wagging a finger at her as if scolding a child.

"Na ah uh, not right now. You and I have a score to settle." With that she knocked the woman out and scooped her up into her arms. She turned back to the sea and sighed.

"I'll come back dad, I promise." Then she was gone into the night.

**xXx**

After finding an abandoned warehouse to crash at, and securing Justine for when she returned, she once again exited into the night. For a moment she thought better of her decision, but decided against it a moment latter and continued on to the Hyperion. It was like the back of her hand how well she knew her way, the streets so familiar and the building that towered over her once she got to the hotel.

She wondered if Connor was back? She wondered if they would believe her? She didn't even know if she'd ever get home much less if Lorne would be able to read her. Slowly she moved towards the steps but just as she was going to go up the first one she heard the movement behind her and turned just in time to spot blue eyes and take a metal baseball bat to the temple. Her last thought was that it was good she was more vampire then human or that would have killed her.

Then she saw black.

"I don't know if you're telling the truth or not Ariana," Connor said as he dropped the bat and picked the now limp brunette up into his arms bridal style. He could follow her scent trail back to where she was staying since it was fairly fresh still. "But I can't let you help Angelus."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well here is the first chapter of my story, I hope you guys like it. Tell me what ya'll think! Graphics for the story will be on my profile shortly.  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Hollow**

**Chapter 2**

Connor had found the warehouse Ari was using easily, the fact Justine was tied up in a chair in a cage was a big sign. He had glared angrily and ungracefully dropped his supposed sister on the hard floor, smirking at the small crack her head made as it hit the floor. After that he'd untied Justine and sent her away.

Now two hours latter he sat in a chair outside the cage with the girls wallet in his hands. It was an odd wallet, it zipped around and when opened had three compartments, for money and others small things he supposed and against one side was a rather bulky looking thing confined with a ribbon. After untying it it fell open, like those picture holders in other wallets he'd seen and those pictures not only confirmed her story but made him feel a little bit of guilt.

The one picture that sold him the truth was a picture of Angelus, her and him- though he looked older and she looked no older then seven or eight. With his better eyesight he knew it couldn't be a forgery, not to mention there was a tag on the wallet that said who it was made by and the date of manufacture, 2040, and the wallet looked worn so it was easy to tell she'd had it for a few years. It was while he was looking over her pictures and her drivers license which said Ariana J. O'Callaghan just as she'd claimed that Ariana woke up.

Ari knew instantly from the throbbing in her head that she had been hit from the side and that it had to be another demon, vampire or Connor who had done it since the intensity of the hit could not have been accomplished by a human. As she sat up she growled low in her throat and turned her green eyes on her brother. She noticed immediately that he was inspecting her wallet, and she hit herself. Of course, she could have proven at least partly who she was and the truth with that!

"Your up," Connor said.

"Where is Justine?" Ari asked, upset to see the bitch gone. "Why am I in here?"

"Well that's a funny story sis," Connor began. "You know where Angelus is and I can't have you going after him. If I didn't know you were at least part human I would have already staked you."

Ari flinched, she hated when that happened. And it had, Slayers who didn't realize she wasn't a vampire or evil, thankfully she was quick enough and smart enough to move and not get hit in the heart. There had been some close calls though. It was also one of the only ways to kill her besides decapitation.

"Dad didn't kill Holtz Connor, you can trust me," she pleaded. Connor shook his head and stood, tossing the wallet back in too Ari.

"Who are the others in your pictures?" he asked. "Ariana?"

"Please don't call me Ariana, it's Ari." She then sighed. "They're family. The blonde in the first picture with dad is my mom, Buffy."

"The Slayer," Connor said nodding.

"She was, she died when I was twenty," Ari told him. She had been evil at the time, had been for two years by then. She could happily say she had nothing to do with her mother's death, her cousin by all but blood on the other hand. Her Aunt Willow may have left it in the past but she never thought Kennedy had forgiven her for her daughters death.

Kendal had been just like her dark haired mother, and a Slayer to boot. They'd never gotten along but her death had still hit her hard, especially since Kennedy had been ready to kill her even after her soul had been restored. The death of Kendal had also been the reason Rowan had restored her soul instead of Willow.

"How are you so old? You don't even look older then twenty?" Connor asked and Ari smiled in amusement at her brothers confusion. Now if only she could convince him of Angel's innocence and get him to let her out. Unfortunately even she couldn't get out of the cage, it was to reinforced and she wasn't strong enough to break the bars, she didn't know of anyone who would have been.

"Thirty-eight. Immortality, my mother is a slayer and they age slower, vampires don't age at all. I took more after the vampire then the human, the fact that slayers were created with a demons essence means it was that much easier for me to be born with a demon side. I'm basically a vampire without the drawbacks - well at least the big ones." Connor was appalled and disgusted.

"What do you mean?"Ari sighed, what she wouldn't give to be at home in her apartment.

"I have an aversion to sunlight, I get sunburns easily and it hurts my eyes, but it won't kill me. Holy water is okay in small amounts but will sting and the more there is the more likely it'll burn me. Taking a bath in holly water wouldn't exactly be in my best interest. Crosses are repelling, I can't touch them and I don't like them, just as any vampire."

"What about blood, invitations, your soul?" Connor asked, wondering if he should just stake his supposed sister and be done with it.

"I do need blood, once or twice every month was how it used to be, though I can drink it whenever I like. After I turned seventeen though I began drinking it more, craving it more. Now I drink it once or twice a week depending. I don't need an invitation to get into homes and I do have a soul."

"You said you were born with a demon though..." Ari nodded.

"I was, but we didn't know that until I was seventeen and Wolfram and Hart had a shaman remove my soul. It's the reason I prefer Ari over Ariana. My demon is Ariana. It was restored to me eleven years latter. Orbs of Thessulah's are hard to come by in my future."

"I don't trust you Ari," Connor began and Ari smiled. At least he wasn't calling her Ariana anymore. "But for some reason I can't bring myself to kill you. I won't let you go though, I can't allow you to help Angelus." With that Connor turned and walked away.

"I'll go and get you some blood and a storage container to keep it in. If you need to use the bathroom there is a bucket in the cage." Ariana flushed with anger at the last sentence and she stood, close to the bars.

"Connor!" she yelled. "Connor please don't leave me here! Connor!"

She wasn't answered.

**xXx**

She wasn't sure how much time had passed. She wasn't sure how long she'd stay here, if Connor would be able to find her a way home on his own and it appeared he was determined that no one else would find out about her. Ari knew it had to have been a rather long time though, she'd lost count after five days. Every so often Connor would bring her some blood and food, usually take out. How he got the money for it she didn't know and she didn't want to know. On the other hand, her bathroom situation. She didn't go as often as a human would but she still had needs.

Three days after Connor had successfully contained her he'd brought her a heavy duty garbage bag and a bottle of water and soap. She'd dumped her dumps into the bag and rinse the bucket out with soap and water before handing the uckey mess through the bars to Connor. It was gross and primitive, but she really had no choice. Connor was coming to get to know her, trust her, see her as the little sister she really was but he didn't trust her enough, or maybe he knew her well enough to know if he opened the cage she'd act, brother or not.

"Here, burger king, just how you like it," Connor said as he passed the burgers and fries to his sister.

It had not taken much for him to believe her after the pictures and first chat. He didn't like how her demon was so dominant unlike him - which he found odd since he'd been born of two vampires and came out more human then his sister- but he knew he'd never be able to kill her now. From her morbid tells of Ariana though he knew he never wished to see his sister without her soul.

It made him think about what he was doing though, was Angel not similar to Ari? Were they not both demons cursed with souls - despite the fact Ari's soul had been secure until Wolfram and Heart had taken it by force? It had already been a month since he'd sent his father too a watery grave.

"Thanks bro," Ari said, _more pleasantly then most people would be after a month in a cage_, Connor thought to himself as he sat in the chair he'd been in the first night. He observed Ari as she ate, smirking as he thought of the lengths she must be going through to make sure the almost daily fast food didn't put extra pounds onto her lithe body.

"Connor?" she asked after finishing her burger.

"Yeah?" Connor asked, he was now sharping a sword having grown bored of watching his sister eat food.

"Blood." Ari knew it was the only word she had to utter and Connor would give it to her before he left for the night. It was a system they'd gotten used to since her saying anything more about it weirded Connor out.

"Sure," Connor replied and hours latter when the sun went down completely he got up, opened the mini-fridge and took out two blood packets and tossed them into the cage for his sister.

"You know when I do get out of here I'm gonna kick your ass, right brother?" Connor grinned devilishly as he turned his head back towards his sister who had a blood pack at her mouth and a smirk on her lips. There was a promise in her eyes and he nodded.

"I look forward to you trying baby sis," he muttered and walked away like he had weeks ago.

"Not a baby Con!"

He chuckled.

**xXx**

"Tell me about the future."

Ari looked up at Connor from her cot in the cage. It had been given to her what she thought might have been two or three weeks into her stay in this blasted cage. Though little by little she was weakening the reinforced steal to give way for her it would take time. It was an air mattress so it was thin enough not blown up to fit through the bars. He'd also brought her a change of clothes and some baby wipes as a quick way to control her body oder, but she knew she needed a shower like five weeks ago.

Oh when she got out of here his butt was hers. She'd always been a tiny bit stronger then Connor after all.

"You know most would freak out and sprout stuff about future consequences," she said evasively. Connor smirked.

"Yeah, but we both know that changing the future is impossible. Time Travel is just that rare and even though I've read as much as I can get my hands on without the others getting suspicious I can't find a way to send a person back once they've come forward." Ari sighed.

"They're has to be a way, probably another damn shaman," she muttered bitterly.

"Nah, I've looked into it. They have the power to send someone back but not forward. No one has ever went forward in time before."

"Everything is possible, it's just figuring out how," she told her brother.

"Who said that?"

"Me," she replied with a cocky laugh.

"So dad married?" Ari looked at him slightly shocked.

"You called him dad," she said. Connor's blue eyes darkened.

"No I didn't, I called him Angel." He shook his head. "So he married in the future?"

"Yeah, before I was born, in about five or so years. Then a year or two latter I was born, a shock to everyone since dad was still a vampire then. If it had not been for the PTB anchoring his soul I'd never have been born at all." Connor's eyes widened.

"His soul became permanent? So he gets out?" Ari sighed.

"Connor why won't you listen to me? Dad didn't kill Holtz, Justine did. It was a plan between the two, I don't know the full story, you don't like talking about the first year or two in this dimension," Ari explained. Connor shook his head.

"I won't believe it," he said.

"You will," she said. "Eventually."

"We have younger sisters and a brother you know." Connor's head snapped up. "They were born years latter. Kathy when I was fourteen, a year after dad became human."

"He became human?" Ari laughed, the look on her brother's face. She couldn't tell if it was guilt, happiness or repulsion. Maybe all three?

"Yeah, when I was thirteen. Mom was about forty, it's a good thing she didn't look much over thirty or she would have been furious at him for looking as if he was no older then twenty-five and young enough to be her son."

"Your mom was the Slayer right?" Connor asked. He wouldn't admit it but he was a bit upset that his sister's mother lived when his died so he could be born.

"She was, she died when she was forty-seven. No other Slayer has ever lived that long. Even Faith didn't make it that long, and she died when she was thirty-five. Second oldest Slayer to ever walk the earth."

"The youngest?" he asked and he watched as his sisters face paled even further. At that point she looked as pale as a vampire.

"Eight. Twelve. Fifteen..." her voice choked out the ages and he blinked.

"Something...what happened?" he asked. She sighed.

"I was in Boston at the time, little girl with long red hair and big brown eyes. She was gorgeous, innocent but I could tell instantly she was a Slayer. She knew it to I think, since she looked at me and my companions and started shaking. She was my first Slayer," she explained, her eyes watery. "Kind of cowardly really but she may have been eight but she put up a fight. What they say is true, there isn't any blood better then a Slayer, an innocent child Slayer...even better."

Connor tried hard to hide his disgust at his sisters words and his hand twitched as if wanting to reach for his stake, but he couldn't, wouldn't. He had grown attached, even he knew that by now. "And the others?"

"Las Vegas, she was twelve. Aiden caught sight of her, instantly wanted her. She was pretty, tall for her age and looked a bit older then twelve as well. Blonde, with brown eyes. He-we kept her alive for over a week before killing her. I didn't finish the job, Aiden did but I as good as killed her." Connor blanched.

"Her name was Kendal Rosenburg," she began again, a tear making it's way down from her eyes. "She was fifteen, my cousin, not by blood though." She added the last part quickly seeing Connor's wide eyes.

"She like her mother, Kennedy, was a Slayer unlike her older sister Rowan who like her mom, Willow, was a witch. She was a lot like her mother, a good fighter as well. She refused to believe I was evil despite our dislike for each other, but in the end I killed her boyfriend and she came after me just as I had thought and -" She choked. "We fought, a long time and in the end I drained her, turned her, and left her in her parents bed the last day of transition so they wouldn't kill her to stop the transformation. Her mother had to stake her, since she lived in the Hyperion with her parents at this point the whole family; Dad, Kathy, Colleen, Liam, you, your wife and children, they were all there."

"Why did no one just stake you?" Connor asked his voice hard and cold. Ari looked up through tearful eyes.

"Because they loved me, they didn't want to give up on me. I think in the end though it was really you, dad and Aunt Dawn that were the standing force to have me re-souled. I don't know if our siblings really understood just how serious the matter was. I was seventeen when I lost my soul, I was twenty-eight when I got it back."

"Over a decade of evil." Ari nodded her agreement at her brothers muttered words.

"You said we had more siblings?" Connor asked softly wanting to change the subject.

"Colleen was born about two years latter, she like mom is a Slayer. Kathy is not, though she is slightly stronger and faster then humans thanks to being the child of a Slayer. Like Liam, our brother who was born a year after Colleen. Mom died two years latter I think, I was still evil so I am not really sure when exactly it happened."

"I'm sorry." Ari looked at him, her green eyes meeting blue.

"It's fine, nothing you could have done."

They sat in silence. Connor was once again having second thoughts, not about his budding trust and relationship with Ari but about his decision to send Angel into the sea. But could he really go back on it now? It had been two months, going on three.

He wondered if he was doing the right thing?

**xXx**

Finally, after what felt like forever she was free. She stood outside the cage, her stomach rumbling with rage of hunger, both for blood and food. Connor had not been back in what felt like a week, maybe not that long but she knew it had been at least three days. If she'd been human she'd have died from dehydration and hunger pains. flicking her dirty curls over her shoulder she glared at the surrounding area and then walked gracefully over to the mini-fridge and prayed there was blood inside. Bingo!

Quickly she downed the AB positive - not her favorite but it would do. She would have to thank Connor latter but also educate him in the ways of pig blood. It wasn't that she liked pigs blood, she hated it, but it was safer for her self control. She threw the empty packet away and made her way out into the night. If she was right it was only four or five hours after sunset.

First she would go to the Hyperion and tell her story, deal with Connor and then get her dad out of his watery grave. With that in mind she practically ran to the hotel, and it seemed like almost no time before she arrived at the Gothic like hotel.

"Home sweet home," she muttered. With stealth born of years of practice and supernatural responses she crept inside and into the lobby. It was then she noticed the open office door close by and the back of what appeared to be a very disheveled man, and even though he was younger she knew it was her father.

the words from the conversation told her so as well. That meant Connor had kept her locked up for a little over three months. Or was it under? That was only if she remembered her history right, and she'd not been told those stories since she was child and even then only half detailed stories.

"Sit - down." She flinches, she'd only heard that tone of voice a few times. When she'd been caught binge drinking when she was fifteen being one of those times. There was one thing her father hated more then anything and that was seeing one of his children drinking, or drunk more like as it reminded him to much of his human past as Liam.

She vaguely saw Connor back up a little, and knowing her brother he never took his eyes off Angel.

"You're too weak to take me." Ari sighs, she knew her brother had a big head but now wasn't the time.

"You really think that?" Angel asked, looking at his son with disdain and disappointment.

He had never thought his son capable of leaving him under the sea for three months, much less playing happy family with the rest of his team. It was cold, it was calculating and it reminded him to much of Angelus for him to be able to think straight. Though if he was truthful Connor reminded him more of Darla back in their heyday, a mix of both and while he saw his soul it scared him to be able to connect his son with his evil alter-ego and sire.

Connor looks at Angel for another moment, then turns, picks up the chair, slams it down on the floor, and sits facing Angel. Gunn begins to stir and sit up. Angel lowers himself into a chair across from Connor with a slight sigh and then Connor's eyes widen as he sees the female figure standing in the lobby. The others don't seem to notice.

"So - how was your summer? Mine was fun. Saw some fish. Went mad with hunger. Hallucinated a whole bunch," Angel says snappishly. Gunn quietly helps Fred back to her feet. Connor's eyes never leave Angel from what Ari can see, except to flicker quickly between her green ones and his fathers brown.

"You deserved worse," he sneered at his father, ignoring the reality that his sister had escaped her prison as well. Angel chuckled humorlessly.

"Right, because I killed Holtz - except I didn't. I tried telling you that while you were busy offshore dumping me, but I didn't know the whole score. - Holtz killed himself. Actually - he had your buddy Justine do it with an ice pick. Just to make you hate me."

Connor's eyes widen as he thinks of what Ari had tried to make him believe and what his father was telling him. The stories matched, though Angel's was more detailed, but could he really have been so wrong? One look at Ari's angry and disappointed face, almost mirroring Angel's told him all he needed to know. Yes, he had, but he'd be damned before he let Angel know that.

"Even if - you still deserved it."

"You know what Connor," Gunn snapped. "I think you need a serious spanking."

"I'm inclined to agree but something tells me that won't do much good with you Conner. What I deserve is open to debate. - But understand there is a difference between wishing vengeance on someone - and taking it. - So now - the questions becomes: - what do you deserve?" Angel asks.

Connor suddenly jumps up from his chair and runs for the door, hoping Ari would help him but Angel stood and with a rush of speed Ari intercepted him, tossing him against the wall.

"Now Con really, Daddy's not finished talking," she snaps, standing close to him with her arms crossed.

The others look at her in shock, and confusion. Who was this girl? She looked no older then seventeen to her early twenties, definitely not older then twenty-two, if she was lucky. She was beautiful they noted, maybe on the thin side and in an obvious need of a shower but still pretty with dark curls and green eyes which were dark with emotions.

Angel looked the girl over, noticing a scent he recognized as Connor over her, but not in the sexual manner. There was something odd about her though, she reminded him of someone. Her eyes were the most unsettling, they reminded him of Connor's or his own, Buffy's...especially in color. Green.

"Who the hell are you!" Gunn asks, his eyebrows almost nonexistent they were raised so high in surprise. Fred nodded.

"I did tell you your ass was grass when I got out didn't I?" Ari asked, tilting her head slightly as she looked at her brother, completely ignoring Gunn's question. Connor gulped.

"Ariana?" Ari smirked, happy to see he was reproachable towards her.

"Nope, guess again," she quipped almost cheerfully. Connor sighed in relief.

"Ari," he muttered and she smiled.

"Don't sound so relieved Connor. I'm beyond mad, I'm pissed off. I'm dropped forty some years into the past, ambushed by you of all people, kept prisoner unable to help right the mistake you made, and kept in primitive confines which has no shower or bath to mention!" Her voice gets louder as she speaks and Angel and the others look at Connor in shock.

"I've wasted over three months I could have used trying to get home and solve my wayward lovers plot which personally I didn't get, but he never was one to think things through completely. To top it all off you've not returned to get me food or blood in three days...three, almost four! I'm a little cranky, and when I'm through with you you'll wish you'd never taken that metal bat to my head."

"Blood?" Fred asked, her eyes wide.

Angel had stepped a bit closer now, confused though. The girl didn't smell human, true, but she had a heartbeat, he could hear it. Gunn acted quickly before Angel could speak, grabbing a crossbow and cross and raising them. They watched as Ari, who was closest to Gunn, reared back away from the cross, her face seemingly growing paler and eyes going gold like all vampires. Yet she only grew fangs after that, there was not the deformed ridge pattern, though her face looked harder to the touch then what it had been before and her brow more pronounced but still, she lacked the bumpies.

"Your a vampire?" Angel asked.

"Not quite," Ari said looking at her father. She hissed slightly though as she straightened up and glared at Gunn, returning to her human face.

"Get that thing out of my face Gunn!" They wondered how she knew his name?

"Not a chance." She growled.

"Listen batman, it's been a while since I opened a vain but if you don't lower the weapon I will," she half growled out. Angel looked at her in shock, almost like seeing a ghost. Nonetheless Gunn did lower his weapons thanks to Fred but he didn't drop them.

"Listen sis, I'm sorry I didn't return," Connor began shocking everyone who didn't know he could be remorseful. After everything he'd done they where rightfully shocked. The girl, Ariana, or was it Ari, stiffened before tapping her foot and turning to look at Angel, soulful green meeting brown. None of them seemed to understand the sis part so that was one point in her favor.

Angel crouches down next to where Connor sits, scrunched up against the wall.

"Wesley told me everything that's been going on, and I take it from your reaction everything this girl says is true as well. So, as far as I'm concerned what you deserve rests on one answer..." Angel leans in closer. "Did you do something to Cordelia?"

Ari looks at him shocked. Cordelia, Cordelia Chase? She'd been told stories about the seer as a child, her father always portrayed her as some sort of guardian angel and Kathy's middle name was Cordelia but she wasn't aware she had went missing before she died in a coma nearly two years after Connor's return to his rightful dimension.

She also knew her brother hadn't done anything to her, Connor had only had so many scents on him and none but one belonged to a female and that was Fred's. Not t mention her brother always seemed to deeply care for Cordelia, she didn't understand why though, he'd never talk about it.

"No."

"He's lying," Fred said, her brown eyes narrowed.

"No way she just_ happened _to disappear the same night," Gunn agreed, his eyes resting suspiciously on Ari who shot him an annoyed look, one eyebrow raised. Gunn frowned, she looked so familiar with that scowl resting on her face but he just couldn't place it.

Connor, never taking his eyes off Angel says again, "I'm telling the truth, okay?"

"He's telling the truth," Ari interrupts.

"How would you know, he held you in a cage for three months didn't he?" Gunn asks almost mockingly. Ari sighs.

"I can tell, and his scent never held hers. He's only been around one woman enough for her scent to get on him and that's Fred...and well...me," she explained.

"Who are you?" Gunn asked, shaking his head.

"My name is Ariana, but I go by Ari. I'm from the future, there was an incident with a shaman."

"The future?" Fred asks. "But...but that shouldn't be possible."

"No, it's not possible to go forward into the future, it's easy for a shaman or someone with the right spells to send a person back in time," Angel said standing. "It's just impossible to change the future, once a person arrives back in time the timeline breaks off and creates alternate universes. No one has ever been recorded to go back to their time though." He turned to the familiar girl.

"Do you have a last name Ari?" he asks. Ari smiled and nodded.

"I do, but I'd rather not give it." Connor looked between his father and sister.

"I didn't have anything to do with Cordelia going missing...you know that don't you?" He wasn't sure why he asked this again, he didn't need his father's forgiveness or trust, did he?

"I know. - I can tell," Angel says turning back to Connor. He'd ask the girl more latter.

"You've done enough lying for me to know the difference. The truth has a better sound to it, less nasal, you know? - Get up." Connor stands up.

"What you did to me - was unbelievable, Connor. What you did to Ari was equally as unbelievable and if she wants to beat you up I'm libel to let her. - But then I got stuck in a hell dimension by my girlfriend one time for a hundred years, so three months under the ocean actually gave me perspective. Kind of a M. C. Esher perspective - but I did get time to think. About us, about the world. - Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. - It's harsh, and cruel. - But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be. - You're not a part of that yet. - I hope you will be."

Ari felt her stomach drop as Angel moves to stand in front of Connor.

"I love you, Connor. Now get out of my house."

"Da...Angel think about this," Ari says, her arms dropping to her side as she steps closer to her father. She'd completely forgotten about this. Angel looks at the girl in shock, this girl was from the future and seemed to know their names. Did that mean she was part of their lives somehow?

"There isn't anything to think about."

"He's new to this world, he'd never understand..." Connor cut his sister off though.

"Ari it's alright," he said before he walks past Ari to leave and his arm is grabbed by the smaller girl, but only by a inch or two.

"Don't cover you tracks Con, I'll find you either way," she said and he nods almost without notice and Angel lets out a slight sigh as he leaves, the lobby doors shutting behind him.

"Are you two like together?" Gunn asked and Ari's head snapped around, her green eyes bright with shock.

"Ewww, that's like dating my brother, only worse."_ because he is my brother_, she thinks to herself.

"Look, I know you don't trust me, but I'm just not ready to give away all my life details to you all," Ari began pushing her dirty hair behind her ear. "I do know you all in the future, and one days I'll explain that, I'll probably be here for a while, but now I've got to go get me something to eat, and hunt down Connor and a place to stay that preferably has a working shower."

"Ari!" Angel calls out as the girl retreats to the door. She stops and turns slightly.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" Angel asked. "With Connor?" He didn't know why he wanted her opinion but he felt as if she was important to him somehow.

"No, but your the parent and it's really your call," she said then smiled. "Don't worry, I'll take care of our boy." She then left through the lobby doors and Angel sighed and fell against the wall, the others rushing to help him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ari did find Connor, and not long after she had left the Hyperion. She dropped down from the building she stood on into the alley she found her brother wondering and struck out with her fist, connecting with her brothers cheek which was still slightly rounded with puppy fat unlike the one she was used to seeing day in and day out. Connor stumbled back having not expected his sister so soon or for her to start getting violent. He went to straighten up only to have her foot connect with his gut and her arm to lash out and grab him, shoving him face first against the cold damp brick wall.

"Didn't I tell you I was going to kick your ass Connor?" she hissed into his ear. Connor breathed out heavily, his body hurting from the blows. There was never a doubt now that his sister was something more then human. Possibly even stronger then him, if only a little.

"Ari, I'm sorry. I should've listened to you," Connor muttered, his face pressed against the brick wall made this hard though. Ari move her knee from the middle of his back, and let up before backing away. Connor sighed and turned around rubbing his cheek. "You hit hard."

Ari laughed. "I've been told. Where you headed?" she asked. Connor shrugged.

"Don't know...around."

"Let's go to the butchers and I'll find us a place to crash. An abandoned apartment, or house...something."

"I don't want or need your help," Connor sneered. Ari raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't ask you opinion," she replied. "Look Con, you may be my big brother but right now, right here I'm older then you by a decade or two so I call the shots. So come on, the sooner I've gotten food and some blood in my system the happier I'll be."

"What about money?" Ari sighed.

"I don't condone stealing...usually but I'm not above doing wrong things so we'll steal what we need and use violence when the time calls for it." Connor shot her a look. "I'm not like dad Connor, I'm not working to redemption at the chance of becoming a regular Joe human like he is-was-is, whatever, the point is I'm not a cardboard cutout of my parents and sometimes the end justifies the means."

"Words of wisdom from a sociopath, great," he muttered. Ari laughed.

"I think Ariana, that is to mean me without a soul, is more of a psychopath but maybe your on to something." With that Ari threw an arm around her brothers shoulders and they walked off, Connor hesitantly wrapping an arm around her shoulder as well.

They never noticed the dark figure watching them with curiosity.

**xXx**

Angel couldn't have left his son alone so long without checking up on him, his guilt over kicking his son out was beginning to eat him up. He felt a little better knowing the mysterious Ari was with him but then he also knew Ari was seemingly a vampire or close enough that she confused him. Angelus, the demon inside him, actually stood up when she was around and took notice, like she was familiar, like family. He didn't understand it but every fiber of his body wanted to keep his demon away from the dark haired girl.

Now he watched as a guy burst through the alley below and turned.

"Nothing human can move that fast. What are you?" he asked. Connor punches the guy, knocking him onto a nearby car.

"Oooh, that had to hurt," Angel whispers, proud of his son on the inside. He could easily tell the man was a vampire.

"Don't know yet. But I know what you are..." Connor watches as the guys vamps out. "...and what to do with you. That'll do for now." Connor continues to fight with the vampire.

"You're talking too much. Gives him time to—watch it! Don't let him box you in," Angel mutters to himself his eyes on his son and the vampire. Then he hears the clicking of heels. He spins around and sees Ari, dressed in a black tank top, jean jacket, and fitted black jeans. The clicking came from her high heeled black boots. Her hair is perfectly curled, natural from what he'd seen and dark, almost black. Her eyes are bright, fresh green.

"Ariana," Angel said and notices she winces at her name and wonders why?

"It's Ari, please," she says. "He's good isn't he?"

"Yeah, sloppy in some places..." Angel trailed off as Ari finished for him smirking.

"But good, he gets better." Angel grins proudly and Ari comes to stand next to him, watching Connor as well.

"How have you and Connor been?" he asks.

"Fine, we get by," she says not wanting to admit that it's harder for Connor since he didn't understand a lot of things and how they were done around here. She also had a hard time with not killing the humans who got nosy, ergo the police. They're had been some pretty close calls with the cops.

"You're lying," Angel said.

"Not really," Ari countered. "It's not a bed of roses and some nice wine but hopefully you and Connor can work this out and he can move back to the Hotel."

"We, you both can move back to the hotel." Angel looks the girl over. "Who are you, why are you so familiar?" Ari looks at him.

"Why don't you look in the mirror and ask me again Daddy," Ari says with a smirk and then she chuckles almost bitterly. "But then I guess that's kind of redundant."

Angel's eyes are wide as the girl who'd just admitted to being his daughter - though he was very confused on how or which way, she definitely wasn't a full vampire - jumped from the roof and ran off to help Connor.

"How is that possible?" Angel whispers to the wind and quickly takes off as Connor and Ari stake the vamp and Connor looks up at him. He would need to talk to Ari again, and soon.

**xXx**

**I watch how the moon sits in the sky in the dark night**

**Shining with the light from the sun**

**The sun doesn't give light to the moon assuming**

**The moon's going to owe it one**

**It makes me think of how you act to me**

**You do favors and then rapidly**

**You just turn around and start asking me**

**about things that you want back from me...**

It was a week before he found Ari again, this time in the last place he'd expect to see her. She was sitting alone at a bar in a busy club, her hair half up with a bronze clip and falling down her back. She wore a pretty crimson dress that stopped just past her mid thigh, and he instantly felt protective. She seemed to be swaying slightly to the music and had drinks in front of her.

"Ari," Angel said as he took a seat beside her. She looked at from the side and smiled, almost mischievously.

"I see you've finally found me." Ari chuckled. "Don't worry Connor isn't here."

"How did you get in, you can't be more then eighteen." Ari smiled.

"Physically, maybe, but I'm actually thirty-eight." Angel's eyes widened as he watched her throw back some vodka. "I have my ways."

"You don't age," he whispered, what sounded mournfully. "But you're not a vampire?"

"Not completely," Ari answered looking at him with soulful green eyes. "Because of circumstances I was born with a demon while Connor wasn't. Ironic since I was born to a human and vampire and he to two vampires."

Angel watched the girl mournfully as she downed another shot and thought of how her life must have been. He knew what it was like to live with a demon and from what he'd seen that day he'd kicked Connor out she didn't like crosses to well.

"What does that mean for you?" he asked and she laughed bitterly, and he shivered.

**I'm sick of the tension, sick of the hunger**

**Sick of you acting like I owe you this**

**Find another place, to feed your greed -**

**While I find a place to rest**

**I want to be in another place**

**I hate when you say you don't understand**

**(You'll see it's not meant to be)**

**I want to be in the energy, not with the enemy**

**A place for my head**

**Maybe someday I'll be just like you**

**and step on people like you do and**

**Run away the people I thought I knew**

**I remember back then who you were**

**You used to be calm, used to be strong**

**Used to be generous but you should've known**

**That you'd wear out your welcome**

**now you see how quiet it is, all alone...**

He knew that laugh, he'd uttered it himself, mostly when he had been going threw what Cordelia had called his beige period or was Angelus. It was almost like Angelus was brought forth through her and he was terrified for his daughter, not only for her but for him. What had the fact he was a vampire done to this poor girl?

"Well I don't have to live off only blood so my blood-lust isn't as intense as yours. I don't need an invite, Holy water in small amounts is fine, but it stings, I wouldn't bathe in it if I wanted to walk away without third degree burns." He listened intently as she spoke, wincing at her words every now and then. "I can't tan and being in direct sunlight hurts my eyes and threatens to give me severe burns, depending on how much skin is showing, heatstroke was always a fear for my mother when I was a child. As for crosses, I am as week against them as you are, not to fond of churches either, gives me the wiggins," she said and Angel stared.

She was so familiar but he just couldn't place were and the way she spoke...he felt like he should know her mother. He knew one thing it couldn't be Cordy, Ari looked almost nothing like his seer. The only thing they had in common was a olive-tan complexion.

"You look pretty tan to me," Angel said randomly and she laughed.

"Natural, my mother has some Bulgarian and Italian blood from her grandmother on her mother's side."

"So that's makes you a mix of Bulgarian, Italian and Irish." Ari nodded.

"Don't forget just plain ol' American."

"We'll find a way for you to get home," Angel said, realizing what was wrong.

"You can try," she said looking up at him from her seat and black lashes. "But I won't get my hopes up."

Angel sighed, she must have gotten her stubborn streak from both her parents because he was sure he wasn't this stubborn, or pessimistic.

"So is Connor at the apartment?" Angel asked.

He had knew where they lived, having checked in on them but usually they were not home. The apartment was in the bad part of LA, not as bad as Cordelia's old one maybe, but close enough that Angel cringed to know his children were living in such conditions. It reminded him a bit of the week he'd spent on the streets of Ireland after leaving home, practically kicked out by his own father. Of course half the time he'd been drunk. Like where Ari seemed to be headed now.

"Yeah, I had to knock him out though," she said and smirked at her father's shocked look. "He wanted to go out "Hunting" but I don't trust him alone right now."

Angel nodded, understanding what she was saying, and if Connor was anything like him and Ari he'd be to stubborn to stay inside while his sister...got drunk. He frowned, maybe he should take her home before she got totally hammered and from the drinks she kept signaling for that was where she was headed.

"Maybe you should slow down, I think you've had enough tonight," Angel says as he pulls what smells and looks like whiskey away from his daughter. To his surprise she only glares a little and then sighs.

"You never did like us drinking, Connor and I came home drunk once. I think it was five in the morning or something, holding each other up and laughing our asses off, pissed out of our minds." Angel listened in fascination and horror as she spoke, memories of him doing something similar returning to him, only he hadn't had an brother to accompany him. He'd never have taken Kathy along with him even if she'd been older then twelve when he'd killed her.

"Mom was frantic, worried and then you came into the room with this fire in your eyes that almost scared the drunk right out of me thinking back on it. I don't think you've ever yelled at us before that day, or been that angry before. We never came home drunk again, actually I think Connor completely renounced Irish whiskey, any alcohol, and we both love our Irish whiskey." Ari laughed.

"You mention your mother a lot," Angel began. "Who is she?"

"Nice try Daddy," Ari said smiling. "But I don't think I should tell you, she's in a...hard place right now from what I remember of stories...but you do know her."

"You've told us everything else, why not this?" he asked sort of upset she wouldn't tell him and he only knew so many women. "It isn't Darla again is it?"

Ari smirked. "No, she's dead for good this time, but she is...well I think that would give it away to easily."

"Not even a hint?" Angel was desperate now, but then he just really wanted to know who would give him this enigmatic daughter.

"Sure," she said standing up. "I've been told I have my mother's eyes." She turned to leave and Angel stood. It wasn't a few steps before she stopped and turned, her brilliant green eyes, so familiar he felt this nagging whisper in his brain, connect with his brown.

"I've got some business out of town to take care of, I figure while I'm here I can use the knowledge I have about the future to make your future a...easier one. You'll watch over Connor for me wont you?" she asked. Angel stared, and then nodded.

"Of course, does he know?" Ari shook her head.

"I left him a note, he'll get it when he wakes. I'll be back within the week."

Then he watched as she walked out, stumbling only slightly, it would take a trained eye to tell she was as inebriated as she was.

"Her mother's eyes," Angel muttered to himself taking a drink from the glass he'd taken from Ari and chuckled. Irish whiskey.

**xXx**

Connor woke the next morning with a headache and a blurry memory of fighting with Ari and then black. He groaned, rolling his blue eyes. That must have been her hitting him over the head, though at least she'd been thoughtful enough to place him on the bed. Sitting up he sighed, looking around at the barren room, a dresser, a light fixture, a desk and beside him was a lamp and end table.

"Ari must have left it," Connor muttered when he saw the folded paper with his name on it sitting on the end table at his side. He reached over and picked it up, opened and it and began to read the neat script that he knew was his sister's handwriting.

_Connor,_

_By the time you've read this I'm probably already halfway to Sunnydale by now. Please don't worry and do **NOT** follow me. I'll be fine, I've just got some things to take care of and no I could not have taken you with me. No offense, but you're safer and better equipped to handle LA and non-hellmouthy places. _

_Besides, right now I have to do damage control. I have no idea how to go about this, I'm winging it so to say. I promise to be back before the week is over, hopefully I'll have a story to tell you that doesn't involve death. Hopefully this works out, wish me luck Con. _

_Please don't antagonize Angel or the others while I am gone and keep out of trouble - and away from Cordelia. Yes Connor, that means keep the "Hunting" to a minimum and to not bring Cordy back to the apartment. I mean it, . I don't want to come home and find you've been slaughtered because of stupidity. On the notion of sounding to bossy and mom-like please remember you need to eat at least twice a day and sleeping is your friend. _

_I'll be back before you know it,_

_Love,_

_Ari. _

_P.S. Don't tell dad where I went, or else!_

Connor rolled his eyes and folded the letter, stuffing it into a bible in the top draw. He smirked, Ari hated that thing, she couldn't pick it up without being burned since it had a large cross on the front and back. He himself wasn't a big religious person but his time with Holtz had made him a believer of a higher power, be it god or the Powers That Be.

"She's right, she is bossy," Connor muttered as he stood and headed for the bathroom.

**xXx**

_**Welcome to Sunnydale!**_

Ari got out of the car she'd stolen from LA to get to where she was going and stood next to the sign to Sunnydale. She had never seen Sunnydale before, by the time she was born it was just a ten mile wide crater in the ground.

"So this is Sunnyhell?" Ari asked and she sighed, going back to the car. She would need to park somewhere inconspicuous and then go it on foot. It was May seventh now, the morning of anyways. She had around twelve hours maybe less to stop Warren from killing Tara and almost killing her mother.

Home sweet hell.


End file.
